Refining machine



W. N.. HA-RTSHORN. nmwma MACHINE.

APPLICATION. FILED FEB. 21,1921; 1,404,851 Patented Jan. 31,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

usrs sr l WILLIS N. I-IARTSHORN,

OF RACINE, VTISCONSINp REFINING MACHINE.

LMML85L Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 31-, 1922.

Application filed February 21, 1921. Serial No. 446,702.

To all w/wm it may concern:

Be it known that l. lljinms ll. Harris- HORN, a citizen. oithe United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Refining Machines, of which the following is a do: ription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. which are a part of this s pecification.

This invention relates to certain new and iise'lul improvements in grinding and mixing machines, and refers more particularly to that type of? machine designed for use in developing and finishing chocolate or the like. i

in the manufacture of chocolate, the flavoris developed or improved by an agitating process and. at the same time it is desirable to reduce or refine the chocolate, in order to produce the desired smoothness.

Hereto'lore, the only effective means for producing these desirable qualities have been extremely expensive. in cost of ma chines, have necessitated excessive floor space, have required considerable manual labor and also have necessitated arelatively long period of time in which to complete the process.

With the above in mind, my invention has for one of its objects to provide a machine which combines in single structure all of the various steps required in the production of: chocolate or the like of the requisite qualities.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the class oescrih d, which will require approximately one of: the floor space now needed for macl'unes at )resent utilized to )e i'orm the various steps necessary to the production. oi? a rciined palatable chocolate.

A. iiiirther object of this invention is to provide a machine of the class described. which not only reduces the amount oi floor space necessary to accommodate the same, but one which. materiallydecreases the labor cost of operation.

A still further object oi the present invention is to provide amachine or"; the class described. which includes'a grinding or reducing means rotatable in one direction and an agitating paddle mounted. above the reducing means. and capable of beingeither rotated in a direction reversed to the grinding means, permitted to be free and. rotate to comprise a container, grinding or with the mass as stirred by the grinding means, he held against rotation, or permitted to revolve with the mass at a slower speed.

ith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the heroin disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l'is a View of a machine embodying my invention, parts thereof being broken away and in section to more clearly illustrate the details of construction;

Figure 2 is an enlar 'ed fragmentary view, part in section and part in elevation, said view being taken on the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1; V

Figure 8 is a view, part in section, part in elevation, taken through Figure 2 on the line 3--3;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional. view taken through the container proper on the line 4tei of Figure l;

Figurefi is aperspective view of one of tl'ie'grinding member segments, which I employ, and y Figure 6 is a view looking at the inner end of one of the grinding elements or segments;

' Broadly stated, my invention may be said reducing meanswithin the container, means for agitating the mass within the'container to thoroughly aerate the same and at the same time feed the mass to pass between the coacting reducing or grinding surtaces, and

means for actuating the grinding and agitating means.

The container is in the form of an outer casing; 6, having its uppermost edge directed laterally as at 7 to receive. the laterally directed rim or flange 8 of the interior casing or receptacle 9, which is secured in place by a suitable fastening means 10. The receptacle 9 is of less diameter and depth than the outer casing 6, to provide a space for either a cooling or heating fluid and. positioned within the space intermediate the bottom walls of the receptacle and casi, is

a coil 11, having its inlet 12 and outlet 13 connectible with a suitable supply of either a cooling or heating fluid, not shown.

' Secured to the top face of the receptacle flange 8 are the lower ends or legs ll of a substantially H shaped yoke member, the transverse bar or beam 15 of which extends diametrically across the center of the receptaclefi. The upper ends of the leg l-it are formed with axially aligned bearings i in which is journaled a drive shaft 1'? adapted to be connected with a source of power not shown by a belt trained about a pulley 18 ca ried thereby, or any other suitable means. ihe transverse beam 15 is formed with a bearing 19, in axial alignment with the center of 'the receptacle 9 and has journaled therein the upper portion of a shaft 20, which has its lower end journaled in a thrust bearing 21, carried by the bottom wall of the receptacle 9.

ill o i'nted on the upper end of the shaft 20, concealed within a casing or guard secured to the top of the transverse beam 5 by fastenino members 2 3, is a bevel gear 44:, the teeth or which mesh with a pinion r "p d to the dr've shaf The pinion in gear is also protected by an extension 26, formed on the guard 22. 7 Fixed to the shaft 20, adjacent the bottom 0 t e receptacle 9,112: a spider niber .27, s h ire l which spider is for-nod with a plurali y. of radially extending arms 28, having 't-heir extreme outer ends formed with transverse lug members 29 which serve to retain the units or segments 80 of a grind ing member. which coacts with a grinding surface carried by the bottom of recepta cle 9.

The grinding member is normally rotated in the direction of the arrow 31, see Figure l and materials within the space between he segments 30 are fed by centrifugal force )etween the grinding member and the grinding surface of said receptacle. Each segment 30 has its under surface radially channeled or grooved as at 32 and the materials thrown outwardly by centrifugal force pass through these grooves, some of it passing beneath the ribs 33, formed by said grooves, and thus being reduced by thegrinding action between said ribs and the grinding sur face of th receptacle. The segments 30 are oosely secured between the spider arms 28 in order that they may freely conform with any irregularity of the grinding surface of the receptacle 9.

T in reducing materials similar to chocolate it is essential that care betakennot to overheat the same by permitting excessive friction be veen the grinding surfaces. M M

ll romexpir. .nos 1 have found that the best .lu in results are obtainable by constructing the grinding se inents 30 so that the passages 32 are of greater area than the reducing ribs 3. whereby the flow of material between the grinding elements is substantially unrestricted. While it is primarily desirable that the material be permitted practically circulatiom it is essential that some of the materials pass between the grinding surface in order that they may finally be completely reduced Therefore I have found that the b st results are obtainable by restricting somewhat the fiow of material througlithe channels at their outer ends by making the area of the channels less at their outer endsthan at their inner ends e 6. Such a construction is to be 1 bed from the old well known type of grind stone dress in that ready circulation of the material between the grinding member and the grinding surface is permitted and furthermore that only a portion of th ma erial passing between the grind ing segments and the container grinding face subjected to a reducing action. One object sought in chocolate working machines is the agitating with the reducing, but the reducing is not attempted to be accomplished in one operation but is stretched out through the entire agitating period. To do otherwise would overheat the material and the grinding surfaces.

The material that is aassed beneath the se ments 80 is directed upwardly by the "s 29, which have their leading ends exmded downwardly and their rear ends eX- tended upwardly. The materials directed uprardly by the lugs 29 are then deflected inwardly toward the center of the receptacle by scraping knives 34 secured to up- 1 rights #15 carried by certain of the spider arms 28. The blades 34; have their leading ends preferably engageable with the sides of the receptacle 9 to scrape all materials therefrom that may adhere thereto and have then trailing ends positioned nearer the center of the receptacle whereby the materials will be directed away from the recep-. tacle walls, as will be readily obvious. After thematerials have been deflected toward the 1 center of the machine they are conveyed downwardly to the space between the grindi units 30 by means now about to be described The blades 34 as will be readily apparent, serve to continue the circular 12 movement of the materials along the container walls so that the interruption of the materials may be more abrupt when engaged by the agitator, hereinafter described.

Freel rotatable. but non slidably mounted 5 on the shaft 20 is a sleeve 36 to the lower end of which are secured two opposite radially extending" agitating paddles 37 and 38,

which project into the receptacle to a point adjacent the grindingmember, The agltator paddles each eonsist'of an inner securing arm from which radially extend horizontal vanes 40, said vanes being inclined upwardly in the normal direction of rotation in order to direct materials downwardly that are engaged thereby, The ends of the vanes 40, carried by each agitator paddle, are connected by a verticalvane 41, which has its leading edge further from the center or the receptacle than its trailing edge whereby the materials thrown in its path by the blades 3% will also be directed inwardly the same time they are being directed downwardly by the-vanes 10, to in sure the directing or the materials to the space between the segmentso'l the grinding member. In order to obtaininore efficient results the vanes to oi? the agitator paddles are arranged in staggered relation, as best shown in Figure 1.

The agitatrn' paddles are normally rotated in a direction reverse to the direction of the rotation otthe grinding member, as best shown by the arrow 42 in Figure 4 whereby the movement of the mass ofmaterials within the receptacle, is upwardly toward the top of the receptacle, then inwardly into the path of the vertical vanes 41, then downwardly and into the space between the units of the grinding member, and then outwardly between the co-acting grinding surfaces when the cycle is again re peated,'the circular movement of the mass,

due to the rotation of the grinding memberbeing abruptly reversed upon its engagement by the agitatingpaddles, which are rotatable in a reverse direction,. thus insuring the thorough co-mingling aerating and reducing ot the materials, The severity of agitation ot the mass is capable of regula tioni as the agitatorpaddles are capable of being rotated in the direction of the arrow a2, as above describeih can be disconnected from their drivingmeans and either partially or completely held [from rotation, or may be released to freely revolve with the mass and thus otter no resistance thereto. I obtain these adjustments of the agitator by the mechanism now about to be described.

The lower portion of the legs let-are connected by a horizontal angleiron which has its part adjacent sleeve 36 curved or struck laterally as at a l and has secured thereto a bearing member 415 which is in vertical axial alignment withabearing 4L6 formed in a bracket member 47 carried by the transverse beam 15. Journaled in the bearings and a6 is a counter shaft 48, and medially secured thereto a gear 4:9,,which meshes with a gear 50 freely rotatably mounted on the shaft 20.

Gear 50 has a clutchrec-eiving recess 51 formed in its upper face in which is movable the clutch part 52 of a clutch member 53, which is slidably, but non rotatably'carried by the shaft 20. The clutch member 58 is movable by means hereinafter described to connect and disconnect gear 50 with shaft 20 to rotate gear 49. A second bearing 5 1 is carried by the bearing member -15 and isin vertical axial alignment with a bearing carried by the bracket 4?, and journaled in said bearings is a second counter shaft 56. Fixed to the shaft 56, and in mesh withthe gear 19, is an intermediate gear 57 and secured to said shaft 56 is a second gear 58 which meshes with a gear 59 made last to sleeve 36.

By this construction it will be seen that the gear 50, when made last to shaft 2O by the clutch member 53 rotates gear 429, which in turn revolves shaft 56 through gear 57 rotating the gear 59 through its connection with the gear 58 carried by shaft 56. H desired the gearing hereinbefore described may be of such a ratio as to have the speed of rotation of paddles 37 and 38 faster or slower than the grinding member 27, de-

pending upon the type of materials for WlllCh the machine is especially designed to operate.

The clutch member 53 is actuated by a lever 60, the upper end of which is secured to a shaft 61 journaled inthe adjacent leg 14: and a bearing 62 carried by the beam 15. The inner end of the shaft (31 forms one trunnion of a yoke member 63, which has its outer trunnion 64L journaled in a bearing 65, also carried by the transverse beam 15, and said yoke memberhas its ends'66 bifurcated to receive bearing blocks 67 in which are journaled the pins 68 of a ring or collar 69 freely rotatably secured in an annular channel or groove 70 formed in the clutch member 53. \Vith this construction, a movement of the clutch lever in the direction of arrow 71 see Figure 3, will engage the clutch part 1n the recess 51 and lock the gear 50 with the shaft 20, as a result voft which the agitating paddles will be positivelv rotated in the direction'o'f the arrow 42- through the medium of the gearing hereinbeii'ore described. A movement of the lever 60 in areverse direction will move the clutch member to its dottedline' position in Figure 3 and thus disconnect the agitating paddles from the shaft 20.

Should the clutch member 53 be in inoperative position, the agitating paddles are free to be carried by the mass within the receptacle 9, in the direction of rotation of-the grinding member; andsuch being the case, the agitation of the materials will be only slight. As often times it is desired to hold the agitating (paddles stationary in order to somewhat agitate the mass or to permitthe same to be carried by the mass in its circular movement, but at a less speed, I provide brake means mounted on the shaft 458 and operated by the clutch control lever 60. This brake mechanism consists of a brake drum or wheel 72 secured to the upper portion of shaft 48 and having a bra-kc band 78 engageable therewith, said brake band having one end secured to an. adjusting bolt 7% fastened as at 75 to the bracket member 4;? and its outer end pivotally secured as at '76 to a lever 7'? medially pivoted to said bracket :7 as at 78.

The outer freeend 79 of the lever '77 has one end 80 of the connecting rod 81 pivotally secured thereto, the outer end 82 thereof being pivotally connected with a crank arm 83 fastened to the trunnion 64 of the yoke member. With this construction, a movement of the lever 60 in the direction of arrow 84-, see Figure 3, will commence applying the brake band to the wheel 72 after the rlutch disengaged from the gear 00. This construction forms three active positions for the handle 60, one where the clutch member is in position locking gear 50 to shaft 20 with the brake off, another with the clutch member 53 disengaged from gear 50 and the brake also oil, and the third position with the clutch member 53 disen aged from gear 50 and the brake applied to either completely secure the shaft L8, and consequently the agitating paddles against rotation, or to only partially restrain the rotation thereof.

In order thatthe lever 60 may be releasably secured in any one of its several positions, I provide a quadrant or trace rack 85 with which a clamping or binding member 86, carried by the lever 60, is engageable, and when the lever is in the desired position a binding nut or handle 87 is turned to readily releasably lock the member 86 against the quadrant as'will be readily apparent.

F or convenience in discharging the linished materials from the receptacle 9, I provide a discharge spout 88, preferably positioned the bottom of the container, and said spout is normally closed by a plate or door 89 carried by a lever 90. r he lever 90 has one end pivotally secured as at 91 to a bracket 92 secured to the casing 6 and has its outer end movable to engage behind a locking projection 93 carried by said bracket memb'crand when the lever 90 is in its position engaging behind said locking projection, the plate 89 is firmly engaged against the mouth of the outlet by an adjusting screw 94;.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of this character appertains that I have provided a machine, which will effectively refine and reduce all types of materials and one in which the grinding surfaces may be of any desired material such as steel or stone according to the desire of the user.

It will also be obvious that my machine requires but a ininiininn amount of floor space for the capacity of material and is capable of operation at a low labor cost, requiring the attention of an operator only at intervals.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described,

a container for receiving the materials to be worked upon, means for rotating the mass of materials in one direction, rotating means for reversing the circular movement imparted to the mass by the first mentioned means, both of said rotatingmeans being capable of simultaneous operation, and means restraining said last mentioned means from rotation.

2. In a machine of the class described, a container for receiving the materials to be worked upon, means for rotating the mass of materials in on direction, rotating means for reversing the circular movement imparted to the mass by the first mentioned means, means for restraining said last men tioned means'from rotation, and means for permitting said last mentioned means to freely rotate with the mass.

3. In a machine of the class described, a container for receiving the materials to be worked upon, means for rotating the mass of materials in one direction, an agitator disposed above said means, means for rotating said agitator in a direction reverse to that of said means whereby to reverse the circular movement of the mass, means for securing said agitator against rotation, and means for permitting the agitator to freely rotate with the mass.

at. A machine of the class described, comprising a base member having a grinding surface, a grinding member rotatably mounted above the base member and coacting with the grinding face of the base member to reduce materials passed therebetween, means for directing the materials upwardly as they pass from between said members, movable means for directing the materialsinwardly, and means for then di recting the materials downwardly to pass between said members.

V 5. A machine of the class described, comprising a base member having a grinding surface, a grinding member mounted on said base member and co-acting with the grinding surface thereof to reduce materials passed therebetween, an agitator mounted above said grinding'member for directing the materials downwardly, means for rotating said agitator, and means for securing said agitator against rotation.

6. A-machine of the class described, com prising a base member having a grinding surface, a grinding member mounted on said base member and having a surface coacting with the grinding surface of the base member, an agitator mounted above said 7. A ma hine of the class described, comprising a base member having a grinding surface, a grinding member mounted on said base member and having a surface co-acting with the grinding surface of the base member, an agitator mounted above said grinding member, a drive shaft, means connecting said grinding member with said shaft whereby said member is rotated in a given direction, a geared connection between said agitator and shaft and operable to cause theagitator to be rotated in a direction reverse to that of said grinding member and operable to permit the free movement of the agitator, independent of said shaft, with the.

mass of material within the machine, and brake means-operable on said agitator to restrain its movement with the mass when the same is disconnected from said shaft.

8. In a machine of the class described, a container, grinding means within the container, agitating means cooperating with the grinding means, a drive shaft, means for detachably connecting the agitating means with the drive shaft, and brake means operable only when the agitating means is disconnected from the drive shaft to restrain the rotation of said opera-ting means.

9. In a machine of the class described, a container, an agitating member. mounted within the containeiga drive shaft, a trans mission means for. connecting said agitating means and drive shaft and including a clutch member, an operating,handle for said clutch member, and brak means open able upon a continued movement of said handle after the clutch member has been disconnected to secure said agitating means against rotation.

10. A machine of the class described, com

prising a container, a frame work supported above said container, a shaft journaled in said frame work and extending into said container, reducing means mounted on said shaft, a sleeve freely rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, agitating means carried by said sleeve and extended into said container, and means operatively connecting said sleeve with said shaft whereby the agitating means will. be rotated in a direction reverse to that of said grinding means.

' 1.1. A machine of the class described, comprising a container, a frame work supported above said container, a shaft ournaled in said frame work and extending into said container. re\.;.ucing means mounted on said shaft, a sleeve freely rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, agitating means carried by said sleeve and extended into said container, counter shafts jou'rnally mounted in said frame Work adjacent said first mentioned shaft, and

transmission means. including gears carried bv d sleeve and shafts for connecting said sleeve with'said first mentioned shaft to ro tate the agitating means'in a direction reverse to thatof said grinding means. i

A machine of the class .lescribed, com- ;n'ising a container, a framework supported above said containena shaft journale' in said framework and extending into sa container, reducing means mounted on said shaft. sleeve freely rotatably mounted on.

said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, agitating means carried by sail sleeve and extended into said container, readily detachable means for drivingly connecting said sleeve with said shaft, and brake means operable only i .n the sleeve is disconnected from said shaft, to restrain rotary movement of said sleeve.

13, A. machine of the class described, co1n prising a container, a grinding member rotatably mounted inthe container. means for directing materialsupwardly that have been acted upon by said grinding member, means for deflecting the. materials away from the wall of the container, the. mass: of material deflected inwardly from the container wall by said last mentioned means being moved in a'circular direction due to the operation of said grinding member, and means for reversing the circular movement of the materials and directing the same downwardly to be again operated on by said grinding member. I

14. In a machine of the class described, a grinding member, comprising a hub portion havi radia ly extending arms, transverse projections carried by the outer ends of said armsand segmental grinding mem bers fitted between said arms and restrained from outward. movement therefrom by said transverse projections.

15. In a machine of the class described, a grinding member, comprising a hub portion having radially extending arms, transverse projections carried by the outer ends of said arms and segmental grinding members fitted between said arms and restrained from outward movement therefrom by said transverse projections, said projections being inclined to direct the materials upwardly that pass outwardly from said grinding member.

1.6. In a machine of the class described, a grinding member, comprising a hub portion having radially extending arms, transverse projections carried. by the outer ends of said arms and segmental grinding members fitverse projections, s id projections being in-,

clined to direct the materials upwardly that pass outwardly flOIll'SfilCi grinding member,

and means for deflecting the materials in wardly that are directed upwardly by saidprojections.

17. In a device of the class described, a

grinding member having its grinding face provided with a pluraiity of relat vely large grooves separated by relatively narrow grinding ed es, the area of said grooves bei, t, b U

ing reduced at their outer ends to restrict the flow of materials therethrough and insure the passage or" a greater portion of the materials beneath said grinding edges.

18. In a device of the class described, a grinding member having its grinding ace provided with a plurality of relatively large grooves separated by relatively narrow grindin edges, the area of said grooves be i b 1 ing reduced at their outer ends to restrict the How of materials therethrough and insure the passage of a greater portion of the materials beneath said grinding edges, the

sides or" said grooves opposite the direction of rotation of said member being inclined rearwardly.

19. In a device of the class described, a grinding member having its grinding face provided with a plurality of relatively large grooves separated by relatively narrow grinding edges, the area of said grooves being reduced at their outer ends, to restrict the flow of materials therethrough and insure the passage of a greater portion of the naterials beneath said. grinding edges and increase the grinding area of said grinding edges.

20. In a machine of-the class described, a container having a grinding surface, a grinding member having a grinding surface coacting with the surface of said container, means for rotating said grinding member to reduce materials within the container, the

rotation of said grinding member imparting a circular movement to the materials, means for continuing the circular movement of the materials along the container side walls, and means for interrupting the circular movement or the materials set up by the. rotation of said grinding member.

21. In a machine of the class described, a container, a reducing member within the container, means for rotating said member to reduce the materials within the container, the rotation of said reducing member imparting a circular movement to thetmaterials, means for continuing the circular movement of the materials along the container side walls, and spaced from the side walls of the container for interrupting the circular movement ofthe materials set up by the rotation of said grinding member.

22. A. machine of the class described, com prising a container, a reducing member rotatably n'iounted therein, the materials rising after being operated upon by the reducmember, means for deflecting the mate rialsaway from the wall ofthe container, and means for simultaneously directing the materials thrown inwardly from the wall of the container inwardly and downwardly to be again acted upon by said grinding memher. 7

23. I11 a machine of the character described, two telescoping containers of different sizes, means securing said containers in position with their walls in spaced relation to define a chamber for receiving temperature controlling fluids, the inner container receiving the materials to be worked upon, means for rotating the mass ofmaterials in one direction, rotating means for reversing the circular movement imparted to the mass by said rotating means, both of said rotating means being capable of simultaneous operation, and means operable to restrain/one of said rota-ting means from operation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 

